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Daytona State Goes Campuswide With Outcomes Management Tool

By Dian Schaffhauser

08/28/12

Daytona State College will shortly go institution-wide with an initiative it's been testing to measure learning outcomes. The Florida institution has expanded its use of Desire2Learn modules, including Analytics and ePortfolio, for outcomes management. The project has been in the works since 2011.

The college has been a Desire2Learn customer since 2003. In anticipation for transforming itself from a two-year school to a baccalaureate degree-issuing institution, Daytona State in 2005 began preparing for a substantive site visit by its regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Those preparations included developing outcomes for the institution as a whole, as well as for every course and program offered by the college.

The college developed an outcomes measurement and reporting framework using Desire2Learn Analytics in 2011 and expects to implement the new project across the school beginning in fall 2012.

The company's ePortfolio will be used for institutional and program reporting to demonstrate evidence of learning outcomes, one of the requirements of all SACS reviews. ePortfolio allows users to store, organize, share, and reflect on artifacts they've created or developed, including documents, graphics, audio files, presentations, and other items. Instructors identify where students have met specific learning outcomes and report that in a form that allows the SACS review committee to see evidence that the outcomes are met.

"We initially implemented ePortfolio in a pilot program for the first time in the fall of 2011," said Michael Moore, emerging technology trainer. "The feedback we received was very positive. We realized this had strong potential for our institutional and program reporting."

The college also used Desire2Learn's professional services for implementation, consulting, and training during the project.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at dian@dischaffhauser.com or on Twitter @schaffhauser.